SERC has worked for educational equity since its founding in 1969. Founded as the Special Education Resource Center, SERC helped to ensure that schools, families, and communities had the resources they needed to serve students with disabilities. Today, as the State Education Resource Center, we continue to support schools in meeting state indicators for student success, not only for students with disabilities but for all students. We remain committed to continue supporting the students’ families and communities with programs, services, and resources.

In 2003, after the No Child Left Behind Act data revealed the extent of Connecticut’s racial disparities in educational performance for our students of color, SERC made an intentional and purposeful commitment to focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the inherent intersectionality that exists between race and academic achievement. In 2011, we published “Equity in Education: A Transformational Approach,” to document our learning and our efforts to facilitate this important message through courageous leadership and critical action. We have most recently published the second document from the series, titled: “A Transformational Approach to Teaching and Learning.” The document highlights the impact of racially conscious educators in creating culturally responsive learning environments for all students.

Our equity vision sheds light about the importance of educators, families, and communities to support and affirm the identity development of our students with disabilities, students of color, English learners, and LGBTQ students to ensure their success.